I'd have to agree. Learning EVERYTHING about Perl is of course difficult, rather maybe even impossible. But doing the equivalent of small programs in basic or C I think is just as easy. Move on to tougher stuff when the pupil is ready. Then by the time college rolls around (assuming they stuck with it) they will be able to run circles around their fellow students, and probably be a lot more confident about themselves. That wouldbe true for any more advanced language, not just Perl, but you get the point.

Challenge! Much better to have gone a little to far and have to just back up a bit, then not reach their potential at all!